Process and apparatus for dyeing a fabric



1970 MITSUJ] .INOUE ETAL 3,493,321

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING A FABRIC 3 Sheets-Shget 1 Filed Sept.25, 1967 FIG.

MITSUJI IMOUE nun YASU HIRO MATSUMOTO PM. DEW

Feb. 3, 1970 MITSUJI INOUE ETAL PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING AFABRIC Filed Sept. 25, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 MITSUJ I INOUE mo YASUHIROMATSIIMOTD INVENTORS HMRL Mu. ML FM. MIMI? 1970 MITSUJI INOUE ETAL3,493,321

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING A FABRIC Filed Sept. 25, 1967 3Sheets-Sheet 5 MITSUJ' [MOI-15am YASlll-lmO MATSUMOTO INVENTORS UnitedStates Patent 6 3,493,321 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DYEING A FABRICMitsuji Inoue, Yokohama, and Yasuhiro Matsumoto, Kyoto, Japan, assignorsto Takeni Senka Kahushiki Kaisha, Yasu-machi, Yasu-gun, ShigaPrefecture, Japan, and Nihon Senshoku Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha, OazaKaniehonmachi, Kanie-cho, Ama-gun, Aichl Prefecture, Japan Filed Sept.25, 1967, Ser. No. 670,301 Claims priority, application Japan, Sept. 26,1966, 41/ 62,993 Int. Cl. D06c 1/00, 1/08 US. Cl. 8-151 6 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A process and apparatus for dyeing a fabricwhich comprises passing a fabric in rope form or web form through a pipefor carrying out a dyeing treatment. The pipe has a cross-sectional areawhich varies in the direction of its length. At the same time a dyeliquor is supplied to said pipe for shaking said fabric passing insidesaid pipe due to the turbulent flow brought about inside said pipe.

The present invention relates to a novel process and apparatus fordyeing a fabric with a dye liquor.

Heretofore, in order to achieve a dyeing effect rapidly when dyeing afabric, there has been proposed a process which comprises forming afabric into a rope, passing said fabric through a pipe for carrying outa dyeing treatment, the exit and entrance of the pipe being so formedthat they are roughly in conformity with the configuration and dimensionof said rope, at the same time, circulating a dye liquor inside saidpipe for dyeing thereby dyeing said fabric rope while it is passingthrough said pipe. However, because creases are formed which are broughtabout by making the fabric into a rope and while the fabric is in ropeform and is dyed while passing through and which creases are noteliminated there is a shortcoming that uneven dyeing of said fabricoccurs.

The present invention seeks to overcome such shortcomings and is basedon the fact that in order to correct said shortcomings it is mosteffective and suitable to eliminate or produce only temporary creases byshaking or rubbing the fabric inside a pipe for dyeing treatment.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide aunique process and apparatus for efficiently dyeing a fabric while it ispassed through a pipe for carrying out a dyeing treatment while a dyeliquor is being fed into said pipe.

Another of the principal objects of the present invention is to providea process and apparatus which does not bring about uneven dyeing of afabric inside said pipe for carrying out a dyeing treatment.

Still another of the principal objects of the present invention is toprovide a dyeing apparatus having a simple structure which willefiiciently eliminate or produce only temprorary creases in a fabricinside said pipe for carrying out the dyeing treatment to preventoccurrence of uneven dyeing.

In order to achieve each of said objects, the present invention ischaracterized in that there is provided a pipe for carrying out a dyeingtreatment having an entrance and an exist constricted so as to roughlyfit the cross sectional configuration of the rope of fabric to be dyedand having a cross sectional variation in the direction of its lengthsuch that a fluid flowing inside said pipe is made turbulent. The fabricin the form of a rope transferred from the entrance through the exit bya mechanical transfer device, while at the same time, a dye liquor is3,493,321 Patented Feb. 3, 1970 fed into said pipe, and by a turbulentflow due to the dye liquor having passed through the portions where thecross sections are varied inside said pipe, a fabric shaking motion ispositively brought about in the fabric passing through said pipe.

Because the present invention is constituted as mentioned above, when arope of fabric passes through said pipe for dyeing from the entrance tothe exit by a mechanical transfer device, it is dyed with a dye liquorfed into said pipe. However, because said pipe has portions of differentcross sectional area so that the flow of the fluid flowing inside saidpipe becomes turbulent, the flow of the dye liquor in said pipe isgreatly accelerated and the pressure becomes lower while it passesthrough a constricted portion. However, downstream of the constrictedportion where said dye liquor is gradually decelerated, because thepressure of said dye liquor cannot be recovered to an extentcorresponding to the decrease of the speed, the flow of said dye liquorbecomes turbulent and thus turbulent flow shakes the rope of fabricsupported between the entrance and the exit inside said pipe with saidconstricted portions acting as supports, and said shaking is transmittedto the entrance side and the exit side of the fabric into and out ofsaid pipe. As a result the rope of fabric is shaken and rubbed, saidfabric is dyed while the positions at which creases are present areshifted with the result that uneven dyeing is eliminated. Also, due tothe shaking and rubbing of the fabric, contact and immersion of thefabric with and in the dye liquor increases with the result that thedyeing effect is improved. By making the transfer speed of the fabricinside said pipe and the speed of the dye liquor through the pipedifferent, it is possible to further increase the contact of the fabricwith the dye liquor to increase the dyeing effect, and at the same time,it is possible to shorten the treating period.

Because a part of the dye liquor fed into said pipe for dyeing treatmentflows out through said constricted exit in the rope of fabric coming outof said exit, the phenomenon of ballooning is brought about wherebycreases in said fabric are substantially eliminated and occurrence ofuneven dyeing during a subsequent dyeing by immersion is prevented.

Other objects and novel features of the present invention will becomeclear from the description and examples of the present invention setforth below.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of still anotherembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a still other embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a still further embodiment of thepresent invention.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, a pipe 10 for dyeing treatmentis provided at the upper part of a dye vessel 11 where dyeing byimmersion is to be carried out. The pipe has an entrance opening 12 andan exit opening 13 for a fabric C in rope form to be dyed and located atthe respective ends of said pipe. These openings are roughly the same incross section as the cross sectional configuration of said fabric C. Inthe vicinity of the ends of said pipe are expanded portions 14 and 15having larger diameters than the remainder of the pipe, and in betweenthe two enlarged portions is a constricted portion 16 having a dimensionslightly greater than the entrance opening 12 and the exit opening 13.Said constricted portion 16 is so constituted that when the fabric ropeC and the dye liquor pass through it, the dye liquor after it has passedthrough said constricted portion brings about a powerful turbulent flow.

Outside the exit opening 13 of the pipe for dyeing treatment and insidesaid dye vessel 11 is a pair of rollers 17, 13 driven by a properdriving device (not shown) to draw the fabric rope C, which has beenformed into an endless rope, from the pipe 10 and to circulate saidfabric C between the bottom of the dye vessel 11 and the pipe 10. Aguide roller 19 for the fabric C is provided adjacent the entranceopening 12 and a perforated screen 20 is provided along the bottom ofthe dye vessel 11 to prevent the fabric C from contacting the bottom ofthe vessel.

At the expanded portions 14, in said pipe for dyeing treatment, a dyeliquor outlet and a dye liquor inlet are provided, respectively. Dyeliquor outlet and dye liquor inlet conduits 23 and 24 have valves 21 and22 therein and are connected to an outlet and an inlet of a pump 25.Said valves 21 and 22 are used for making maximum the eifect of theturbulent flow inside the pipe for dyeing treatment having a closerelationship with the fabric shaking and rubbing motions to be describedlater in connection with the size and weight of the fabric to be treatedand temperature of the dye liquor.

Between the inlet side of said pump 25 and the bottom of the dye vessel11 is a dye liquor conduit 27 with a valve 26 therein. A dye liquoroutlet pipe 29 having a valve 28 therein extends from the bottom of thedye vessel 11.

Said dye liquor conduit 23 is connected to a dye liquor conduit 31)communicating with the lower part of the dye vessel 11 via a branch pipe31 having a valve 32 therein. As the occasion demands, the valve 21 canbe closed and the valve 32 opened, and the pump 25 will feed dye liquorinto the lower part of the dye vessel 11 through the conduit 30 from theconduits 23 and 31, and liquid pressure of the dye liquor on the fabricC presses it into the dye liquor in the bottom of the dye vessel 11 toprevent the fabric from surfacing.

A guide plate 33 extends upwardly from the end of said perforated screento guide the fabric C drawn out of the pipe 10 by said pair of rollers17 and 18 into the bottom of the dye vessel 11.

When dyeing of the fabric C is carried out by the illustrated apparatus,the dye vessel is filled with the necessary amount of a dye liquor, thefabric rope C is forwarded into the pipe for dyeing treatment from theentrance opening 12 and is drawn out the exit opening 13 by the pair ofrollers 17 and 18. When the necessary amount of the fabric C is suppliedto the bottom of the I dye vessel 11, its ends are connected to make thefabric an endless belt, which is circulated between the pipe 10 fordyeing treatment and the dye vessel 11. The pump is driven to draw thedye liquor from the bottom of the dye vessel 11 to the intake side ofthe pump 25 via the conduit 27, discharging the dye liquor from thedischarging side of the pump 25 to the expanded portion 14 of the pipefor dyeing treatment via the conduit 23, and also drawing the dye liquorfrom the expanded portion 15 to the intake side of the pump 25 via theconduit 24 to circulate the dye liquor inside the pipe for dyeingtreatment. The fabric C passing through the pipe for dyeing treatment bythe action of said rollers 17 and 18 is dyed inside the pipe for dyeingtreatment mainly between the expanded portions 14 and 15. At this time,when the dye liquor discharged into the expanded portion 14 of said pipefor dyeing treatment flows through said intermediate constricted portion16 which is symmetrical in transverse section, it is accelerated inproportion to the reciprocal number of the cross sectional area of theintermediate constricted portion 16, and the static pressure of said dyeliquor decreases according to Bernoullies theorem. However, when the dyeliquor reaches a point downstream of the minimum cross sectional area ofsaid intermediate constricted portion and is decelerated,

the static pressure of said dye liquor is not completely recovered tothe pressure upstream, and the flow of the dye liquor adjacent the sidesurfaces of the intermediate constricted portion 16 and the expandedportion 15 of said pipe 10 swirls away from the side surfaces of saidintermediate constricted portion 16 and of said expanded portion 15where it suddenly changes cross section, becoming a turbulent flow. Onaccount of this turbulent flow, the fabric rope C is shaken by theturbulent flow between the intermediate constricted portion 16 and theexit 13 which act as supports, and said shaking spreads between theintermediate constricted portion 16 and the entrance 12 and the fabricrope C is shaken while moving through both the expanded portions 14 and15. By this fabric shaking motion, the fabric rope C is dyed whilecreases are being formed and then removed while others are formedelsewhere. Therefore, uneven dyeing is prevented, the shaking motionaiiords more opportunity for contact and permeation of the dey liquorand the dyeing effect is further advanced together with fabric rubbingmotion.

During this time, by making the transfer speed of the fabric C and thespeed of the dye liquor passing through the pipe different, it ispossible to further increase the opportunity for contact of the fabric Cwith the dye liquor and shorten the treating period.

Most of the dye liquor is drawn through the conduit 24, but a part of itflows out through the exit opening 13 of the pipe for dyeing treatmentin the fabric C drawn out through the constructed exit opening 13 of thepipe 10. The phenomenon of ballooning is thereby brought about forsubstantially removing the creases of said fabric and occurrence ofuneven dyeing during the subsequent dyeing by immersion is prevented.

The fabric C drawn out of the pipe 10 is guided to the lower part of thedye vessel 11 by the guide plate 33, and is further immersed in and dyedby the dye liquor in said vessel, and is again introduced into the pipe10 via the guide roller 19 and the dyeing treatment as described aboveis repeated the required number of times to carry out the requireddyeing treatment.

The intermediate constricted portion 16 is provided at one place in thisillustrated embodiment. However, a plurality of such portions may beprovided and the mechanism may be so made that the dye liquor is chargedthrough the expanded portion 15 and drawn out from the expanded portion14.

Also, the valve 22 may be closed so that all of the dye liquor flows outthrough the entrance opening 12 and the exit opening 13 of the pipe 10.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, a pipe 40 for dyeing treatmentextends through a reservoir 47 and expanded portions 41 and 42 and anintermediate constricted portion 45 are within said reservoir. The constricted portion has a cross sectional configuration roughly the same asthe cross sectional configuration of a fabric rope C and slightly largerthan an entrance 43 and an exit 44 and positioned between expandedportions 41 and 42. Entrance 43 and exit 44 are removably mounted on thepipe 40. Reservoir 47 has a dye liquor inlet pipe 46 connected to adischarge side of a pump (not shown) Said expanded portions 41 and 42have a plurality of perforations 41a and 42a therein communicating withthe reservoir 47.

The downstream portion of said pipe 40 has another expanded portion 48having a dye liquor conduit 49 opening out of it and connected to theintake side of the pump. In the drawing 50, 51 are outlet rollers forthe fabric rope C and 52 is a guide roller for the fabric C.

Accordingly, a dye liquor fed to the reservoir 47 from the pump via theconduit 46 enters the expanded portions 41 and 42 of the pipe 40 throughthe perforations 41a and 41b and from the expanded portion 48 and isreturned to the intake side of the pump through the conduit 49, afterhaving passed through the intermediate constricted portion 45. The fiowof the dye liquor brings about a turbulence inside the pipe, by whichturbulent flow the fabric rope passing through said pipe together withthe dye liquor is shaken to achieve dyeing thereof.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, a pipe 60 for carrying outdyeing passages through reservoirs 65 and 66 and has expanded portions61 and 62 located inside the dye liquor reservoirs 65 and 66. Thereservoirs 65 and 66 have dye liquor conduits 63 and 64 opening out ofthem which are respectively connected to the discharge side and theintake side of a pump (not shown). Said expanded portions 61 and 62communicate with the respective reservoirs 65 and 66 through slits 61aand 62a provided in said portions.

In between said expanded portions 65 and 66 is provided an intermediateconstricted portion 69 having a cross sectional configuration roughlythe same shape as the cros ssectional configuration of a fabric rope C,and slightly larger than an entrance 67 and an exit 68. Entrance 67 andexit 68 are removably mounted on the pipe 60. Feed rollers 70 and 71 areprovided for drawing the fabric C through the pipe 60 and 72 is a guideroller for the fabric.

Accordingly, a dye liquor supplied to the reservoir 65 from the pump viaconduit 63 enters the expanded portion 61 through the slit 61a, andafter having passed through the intermediate constricted portion 69,enters the reservoir 66 from the expanded portion 62 through the slit62a, and is returned to the intake side of the pump. The turbulent flowinside the pipe 60 causes the fabric rope C passing through said pipetogether with the dye liquor to be shaken to achieve the dyeing thereof.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate embodiment of the present invention for dyeingof a fabric in the form of a web.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, a pipe 80 for carrying out thedyeing treatment has a width roughly same as that of a web of fabric soas to permit the web of fabric to pass therethrough, and has a crosssectional shape in the vertical plane substantially the same as that ofFIG. 2. It has an entrance 81 and an exit 82 provided at the two endswhich are constricted so as to permit the web of fabric to passtherethrough. A pair of expanded portions 83 and 84 are provided in thepipe for dyeing treatment and an intermediate constricted portion 85 islocated between them which is slightly larger in cross section than saidentrance 81 and exit 82. The expanded portions are positioned in a dyeliquor reservoir 87 having a dye liquor conduit 86 opening into it fromthe discharge side of a pump (not shown). Said expanded portions 83 and84 communicate with the reservoir 87 through a plurality of perforations83a and 84a.

Downstream in said pipe 80 is another expanded por tion 88, having a dyeliquor conduit 89 extending therefrom to the intake side of the pump.

Accordingly, dye liquor discharged into the reservoir 87 from the pumpthrough the conduit 86 flows into the expanded portions 83 and 84through the perforations 83a and 84a to dye the fabric and is returnedto the intake side of the pump from the expanded portion 88 of the pipe80 through the conduit 89 after having passed through the intermediateconstricted portion 85. During its flow through the constricted portionthe dye liquor causes a turbulent flow inside the pipe 80, whichturbulent flow shakes the web of fabric passing through said tubetogether with the dye liquor to carry out positive contact with the dyeliquor and fabric rubbing motion to increase the dyeing effect.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, an entrance 91 and an exit 92of a pipe 90 for carrying out a dyeing treatment are, as are those ofthe pipe 80 illustrated in FIG. 4, given a width sufiicient toaccommodate a fiat web of fabric as it passes therethrough. The crosssectional shape is substantially the same as that of FIG. 3. Tubularexpanded portions 93 and 94 are provided in the pipe 90 withinrespective dye liquor reservoirs 95 and 96. Said reservoirs 95 and 96have dye liquor conduits 97 and 98 extending therefrom and connected tothe discharge and intake sides, respectively, of a pump (not shown). Aplurality of perforations 95a and 96a are provided in the outerperipheries of the reservoirs 95 and 96 opening into conduits 97 and 98.Said respective expanded portions 93 and 94 communicate with thereservoirs 95 and 96 through slits 93a and 94a.

Between said expanded portions 93 and 94 is provided an intermediateconstricted portion 99 slightly larger in cross section than saidentrance 91 and exit 92.

Accordingly, a dye liquor supplied to the reservoir 95 from the pumpthrough the conduit 97 flows into the expanded portion 93 through theslit 93a and through the constricted portion 99 to the expanded portion94 to dye the fabric. It enters the reservoir 96 through the slit 94aand is returned to the intake side of the pump through the conduit 98.By passing through the intermediate constricted portion 99, the dyeliquor causes a turbulent fiow inside the pipe 90, which turbulent flowshakes the fabric passing through said pipe together with the dye liquorto carry out positive contact with the dye liquor and fabric rubbingmotion to increase the dyeing effect.

Next, an Example of the present invention will be given.

A sealed-type dyeing apparatus was used wherein a pipe for carrying outa dyeing treatment had a pair of expanded portions therein havingdiameters of 15 cm. connected by a pipe having a diameter of 12 cm. Theentrance and exit of said pipe had diameters of 7.5 cm. In between theexpanded portions was a constricted portion having a diameter of 9 cm.Pressure inside said dyeing apparatus was atmospheric pressure and thetemperature inside the dye vessel was 98 C. and the temperatuer insidethe pipe for carrying out the dyeing treatment was raised to 107 C. Thefabric to be dyed was a polyester-cotton-rayon mixed spun fabric. Thedyestulf was a liquid-type dispersed dyestuff in a carrier agent. Theamount of dye liquor circulated between the expanded portions of thepipe was controlled so as to be 10 liters/ sec. in order to produce agood fabric shaking effect. The feed speed of the fabric passing throughsaid pipe was m./min. The fabric shaking motion was heightened at theexpanded portions of said pipe by a turbulent flow of the dye liquor,and in about 1 hour 20 minutes dyeing having a predetermined dyeingfastness was completed and the amount of the dye liquor used was aboutone half that of a similar dyeing method wherein no turbulent flow wasbrought about.

What is claimed is:

1. A process for dyeing a fabric which comprises feeding the fabricthrough a pipe for carrying out the dyeing treatment, the pipe having anentrance and an exit constricted so as to roughly fit the crosssectional configuration of a fabric, at least two expanded portionshaving a dimension of about 15 cm. in a direction transverse to themovement of the fabric through the pipe, and an intermediate constrictedportion between said expanded portions having a dimension of about 7.5cm. in a direction transverse to the movement of the fabric through thepipe and slightly larger than said entrance and exit, the feeding of thefabric being at a speed of about 90 m./min., and at the same time,circulating a dye liquor inside said pipe through the constrictedportion for positively shaking the fabric passing through said pipe by aturbulent flow due to the dye liquor passing through said intermediateconstricted portion.

2. A process for dyeing a fabric according to claim 1 in which the speedof said dye liquor flowing through the pipe is different from the speedof said fabric passing through said pipe.

3. An apparatus for dyeing a fabric which comprises a dye vessel, a pipefor carrying out a dyeing treatment disposed inside the dye vessel, amechanical transfer device operatively associated with said pipe forpassing a fabric in rope form or extended state through said pipe, a dyeliquor circulating device coupled to for passing a dye liquor throughsaid pipe together with said fabric, said pipe having at its ends onlyan entrance and an exit having a cross sectional configuration roughlythe same as the cross sectional configuration of said fabric, said pipehaving expanded portions between said entrance and exit, and havingbetween said expanded portions a constricted portion slightly largerthan said entrance and exit for passing the dye liquor together with thefabric to be dyed and after the dye liquor has passed through saidconstricted portion causing a turbulent flow of the dye liquor and ashaking of the fabric.

4. An apparatus for dyeing a fabric as claimed in claim 3 furthercomprising a dye liquid reservoir around said expanded portions andcoupled to the dye liquor outlet side of said circulating device, and aconduit coupled between said pipe downstream of said constriction andthe intake side of said circulating device, and said expanded portionshaving perforations therein for communication with said reservoir.

5. An apparatus for dyeing a fabric as claimed in claim 3 furthercomprising a dye liquid reservoir around each of said expanded portions,the expanded portions having apertures therein opening into said dyeliquid reservoirs, one of said reservoirs being coupled to the intakeside of said circulating device and the other reservoir being coupled tothe discharge side of said circulating device.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which said pipe has a widthabout the same as that of a web of fa brie to be dyed and the entranceand exit have fiat cross sectional configurations which roughly conformto the cross sectional shape of the web of fabric.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,978,291 4/1961 Fahringer 8l513,241,343 3/1966 Yazawa 6818l X 3,285,041 11/1966 Vails 6818l WILLIAM I.PRICE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 68l 74, 184-

